What does Gerry Adams know about the murder of Jean McConville?

We really do need, all of us, to have a long hard think about Jean McConville. Here, in the forum provided by a Catholic newspaper, it is particularly appropriate that we should think about Mrs McConville. She has been dead since 1972 – kidnapped, murdered, then secretly buried by the IRA – but her death represents important unfinished business.

The facts of Mrs McConville’s case are by now quite well known. They featured heavily in a sombre but brilliant documentary on the BBC by Darragh MacIntyre, which generated a lot of interest in Ireland, and some interest on this side of the Irish Sea as well. The programme is still available online. Those unsure of the details can put themselves in the picture by reading this concise account on Wikipedia.

Why is the case of Jean McConville important? After all, many were the victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. True, she was a woman, a widow, a mother of ten, and her death meant effective ruin for the children she left behind. There was the added grief of her body not being found for decades, as well as the gnawing uncertainty that as one of the ‘disappeared’ she could not be definitively counted as dead. If this were not enough, there is the continuing lack of information about the circumstances of her disappearance: where was she held? How long for? And above all, why? Who claimed she was a police informant? And again, why? Forty years on, not all the facts have come to light. Yet someone knows. Perhaps several people know. And yet these people are refusing to talk.

Somebody must know the truth, and all the evidence points to that somebody being Gerry Adams. MacIntyre’s programme assembled sturdy evidence that Adams was the man who gave the order for Mrs McConville’s killing. The idea that he knew nothing about it, then or now, seems incredible. His denials in the interview he gives to MacIntyre in the programme hardly seem convincing.

The truth about Mrs McConville is something that transcends politics. At this late stage it does not seem to me that an admission of guilt would destroy someone’s political career, or their political respectability, or be used as a political weapon against them. The Troubles are over forever – or so we hope. But the idea of a public figure denying the truth – that remains a live issue. It is most unlikely that anyone will ever be sent down for Jean McConville’s murder, for too much time has passed. But while the question of a court case may have had its day, the question of truth-telling has not. That has no statute of limitations on it.

So, why does the case of Jean McConville matter still? The answer is because truth matters, and truth always matters. If truth does not matter, then nothing else matters.

Like a lot of people, I have mixed feelings about Gerry Adams. In some ways, I admire him: he is a shrewd and accomplished politician. If he had been born elsewhere, he might have been a great statesman. But now he needs to grasp this issue and rise to the challenge. Truth hurts, which is certainly true in this case; but the lack of truth hurts even more. If we can know the truth, then, in the scriptural phrase, the truth shall set us free.

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Hamish Redux

I don’t have mixed feelings about Gerry Adams. Catholic he may be, in some notional sense, but he has blood on his hands.

Halgus Valgus

And his feet.

http://jabbapapa.wordpress.com/ Julian Lord

Pseudo-Catholic ideologues of terrorist “solutions” do not elicit much sympathy at this end …

Annie

There is a statue of limitations for murder in Ireland? I never heard of such a thing.

Kashu

I saw an interview given by Martin Guinness on Scottish television a few years ago when he related how he became involved with the IRA, (he said his parents were daily communicants!). It was a great tragedy for him; and it would break ones heart listening to him! When I see either Mr. Guinness or Mr. Gerry Adams the thing which strikes me about them is their eyes ….. they are completely DEAD …… no light in them whatsoever. One has to have pity and pray for them ….. for they are greatly in need …..

Andrew

Why just Jean McConville?

Why not Denis Donalson too, whose murder post-peace deal should put Mr Adams and all his other thugs in jeopardy of a prison sentence?

teigitur

“Catholic” he certainly is not.

teigitur

No-one believes for a second he knows nothing of this, and indeed others. Clearly has blood on his hands.

Patrick

As far as I am concerned there are many in Northern Ireland with blood on their hands, Government ministers, Heads of political parties, the British Army (remember bloody Sunday, Catholic priests were killed by the army too remember, politicians, police, as well as terrorists on both sides of the divide.

I don’t condone any killing, or any violence, as Pope John Paul said, violence only breeds violence.
I had elderly relations in Northern Ireland who were burnt out of there homes at 2 o’clock in the morning while the police stood by and done nothing to help them, they were, a 75year old aunt, and a 82 year old uncle , as well as an11year old cousin who was shot 8 times in her own home while baby sitting for her neighbour, shot by terrorists, all of this because they were catholic. they had no dealings with any para-military groups.
I feel sorry for and pray for the McConville family, as well as other disappeared and all victims of the troubles.

Moo

Were IRA killers ever ex-communicated? Why does it seem that politicians like Gerry Adams can get away with anything and still have the Sacraments, yet someone who re-marries because their first marriage failed is ex-communicated without an annualment…This is where I see huge in justice in the Church. That men with blood on their hands, whether IRA, Mafia or Robert Mugabe are welcomed and not excommunicated, despite terrible crimes..

http://jabbapapa.wordpress.com/ Julian Lord

Were IRA killers ever ex-communicated?

Automatically, yes.

Hooded killers taking the Sacraments are as hypocritical as those voting in favour of institutionalised foetal manslaughter and doing the same.